Gyeongju City, Republic of Korea - At the invitation of the ASEAN-Korea Centre, Ambassador Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez represented the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS) at the ASEAN-Korea Sustainable Innovation Program in Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk Province on 8 October 2026.

The event was held in conjunction with the inaugural World Gyeongju Forum 2026 hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST).

Entitled “Cross-Border AI Governance for Sustainable Development and Creative Cultures,” the program was designed to promote policy dialogue, knowledge exchange on cross-border artificial intelligence (AI) governance, creative culture, and ecosystem building between ASEAN and Korea.  

In her congratulatory remarks, Ambassador Fernandez acknowledged the contribution of the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, the ASEAN Committee in Seoul and the ASEAN-Korea Centre in firming up the program for delegates from the ASEAN capitals to deepen collaborative work with Korea on the role of AI in creative culture.

She noted the need for the outcome of the forum to find space in the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits which will be held in Manila next month.

She emphasized the need to harmonize acceptable AI practices within ASEAN and Korea and that this should also be sustained in other regional and international bodies. END